editorNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Geraldo Rivera of Fox News has described NPR's David Folkenflik as "a really weak-kneed, backstabbing, sweaty-palmed reporter." Others have been kinder. The Columbia Journalism Review , for example, once gave him a "laurel" for reporting that immediately led the U.S. military to institute safety measures for journalists in Baghdad. Based in New York City, Folkenflik is the media correspondent for NPR News. His stories and analyses are broadcast on the network's newsmagazines, such as All Things Considered , Morning Edition, and Here & Now , and are featured on NPR's website and mobile platforms. Folkenflik's reports cast light on the stories of our age, the figures who shape journalism and the tectonic shifts affecting the news industry. He profiled the Las Vegas columnist who went bankrupt fending off a libel lawsuit from his newspaper's new owner; conducted the first interview with New York Times executive editor Dean Baquet after his appointment; and chronicled how the demands ofNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94David FolkenflikSun, 20 May 2018 08:44:49 +0000David Folkenflikhttp://kasu.org
David Folkenflikhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kcw8aoGxgss Neil Cavuto's voice comes through loud and clear on President Trump, and it's not admiring. Neil Cavuto's voice strikes a tone of bemused reason on Fox News. Neil Cavuto's voice will fail him someday. These are three competing and coinciding realities defining the career of the Fox News host at age 59. Cavuto is a Trump skeptic on a network re-engineered as a safe space for a president whose appetite for televised affirmation is boundless. Cavuto is a relative model of civility, as far as such things are possible on cable news and especially Fox, letting such liberal guests as Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin have their say and get in a closing word. And, despite layers of physical challenges, Cavuto is a Fox workhorse: He now hosts 17 hours of live television a week on Fox News and its sister channel Fox Business Network. That last figure jumped early this year after his decision to take on two hours every Saturday morning. "We had four tapedFox's Cavuto: Trump Skeptic, Genial Workhorsehttp://kasu.org/post/foxs-cavuto-trump-skeptic-genial-workhorse
102034 as http://kasu.orgFri, 18 May 2018 19:08:00 +0000Fox's Cavuto: Trump Skeptic, Genial WorkhorseDavid FolkenflikFox News' Neil Cavuto Hosts 17 Hours Of Live TV A Week Despite Physical Challengeshttp://kasu.org/post/fox-news-neil-cavuto-hosts-17-hours-live-tv-week-despite-physical-challenges
101980 as http://kasu.orgThu, 17 May 2018 21:02:00 +0000Fox News' Neil Cavuto Hosts 17 Hours Of Live TV A Week Despite Physical ChallengesDavid FolkenflikUpdated at 2:58 p.m. ET The parent company of Fox News has paid approximately $10 million in settlements with 18 former employees, according to two sources with knowledge of the deal. The cases arose from intense scrutiny of Fox's workplace culture after it was convulsed by a sexual harassment scandal. The cases primarily involved allegations of racial discrimination against the network, along with several gender bias and retaliation claims. Parent 21st Century Fox and the plaintiffs' attorneys at the law firm Wigdor settled the cases after rounds of mediation and negotiations. Both sides released a brief joint statement announcing the deal, though terms and details were not disclosed. The larger sexual harassment scandal felled the network's first chairman, the late Roger Ailes , as well as some of its stars, including former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly . Former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson 's lawsuit led others at Fox to come forward and, along with disclosures of massive payoutsFox News Pays $10 Million To Settle Racial, Gender Bias Suitshttp://kasu.org/post/fox-news-pays-10-million-settle-racial-gender-bias-suits
101904 as http://kasu.orgWed, 16 May 2018 15:52:00 +0000Fox News Pays $10 Million To Settle Racial, Gender Bias SuitsDavid FolkenflikCopyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST: Members of the National Rifle Association didn't have to go to Dallas to keep up with the group's annual convention over the weekend. They could get the information they needed by going online and watching NRATV, which provides its stream for free. As NPR's David Folkenflik reports, NRATV programming ranges far beyond guns - a quick heads-up that his report includes some sound of gunfire. DAVID FOLKENFLIK, BYLINE: NRATV started in 2014 with a focus on guns. I mean, of course it would. For example, whenever there's a mass shooting, NRATV pushes back against critics of easy gun ownership. Here's Grant Stinchfield. (SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "STINCHFIELD") GRANT STINCHFIELD: At every step of the way, gun laws were instituted. In some cases, they were used. And they didn't work. FOLKENFLIK: Entertainment programming includes a reality show sponsored by the gun manufacturing consortium SIG Sauer. (SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "EMPOWER THENRATV Strays Seemingly Far Afield From Gun Ownershiphttp://kasu.org/post/nratv-strays-seemingly-far-afield-gun-ownership
101507 as http://kasu.orgMon, 07 May 2018 20:36:00 +0000NRATV Strays Seemingly Far Afield From Gun OwnershipDavid FolkenflikCopyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit MICHEL MARTIN, HOST: Even in the supposedly freewheeling times, comedy and comedians still occasionally make news, and we have a couple of stories about that. And we'll start with last night's White House Correspondents' Dinner, where comedian Michelle Wolf delivered a performance that took aim at the president, many of his aides and, of course, her hosts, the media. (SOUNDBITE OF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS' DINNER) MICHELLE WOLF: You guys are obsessed with Trump. Did you used to date him? Because you pretend like you hate him, but I think you love him. MARTIN: Here's NPR's media correspondent David Folkenflik now to talk about the dinner and why some people are apparently upset. David. Thanks so much for joining us. DAVID FOLKENFLIK, BYLINE: Great to join you. MARTIN: So, David, lots of comedians have been criticized for their performances at this dinner and other dinners over the years. Was there something different about this one? FOLKENFLIK:Comedian's Controversial Performance At D.C. Gala Prompts Renewed Criticismhttp://kasu.org/post/comedians-controversial-performance-dc-gala-prompts-renewed-criticism
101222 as http://kasu.orgSun, 29 Apr 2018 22:31:00 +0000Comedian's Controversial Performance At D.C. Gala Prompts Renewed CriticismDavid FolkenflikCopyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit AILSA CHANG, HOST: NBC News is facing a new round of controversies today, most notably new allegations against its retired chief anchor Tom Brokaw. Two former colleagues have accused Brokaw of sexual harassment they say occurred in the 1990s. On top of that, former host Ann Curry tells The Washington Post she warned the network that former "Today" show host Matt Lauer was a harasser five years before his public downfall. NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik has been covering the story and joins us from New York. Hey, David. DAVID FOLKENFLIK, BYLINE: Hey, Ailsa. CHANG: So, can you just remind us? What role did Brokaw play at the network, and what has he been accused of specifically? FOLKENFLIK: Brokaw's a towering figure. You know, he had been a White House reporter. He was a "Today" show host. But he really for many years defined the news division as the chief anchor, as you said, for the "NBC Nightly News." He's been accused by two women ofNBC Culture Questioned As Former Anchor Tom Brokaw Faces Sexual Harassment Allegationshttp://kasu.org/post/nbc-culture-questioned-former-anchor-tom-brokaw-faces-sexual-harassment-allegations
101183 as http://kasu.orgFri, 27 Apr 2018 20:23:00 +0000NBC Culture Questioned As Former Anchor Tom Brokaw Faces Sexual Harassment AllegationsDavid FolkenflikEvery time Rupert Murdoch gets closer to control of the British-based entertainment and TV giant Sky, new obstacles arise. The latest challenge could shatter his plans — or make him a richer man. On Wednesday, the Comcast Corporation made a formal bid to buy a majority control of Sky in a deal valuing the British company at $31 billion. Murdoch's 21st Century Fox already owns 39 percent of Sky — a company he founded more than a generation ago — and in late 2016, Fox had struck a deal to acquire the rest. Now, Sky's independent directors have withdrawn their support for the Fox deal, as Comcast offers a 16 percent premium above Fox, and that sets the scene for a possible bidding war. Looming over the shoulder of 21st Century Fox is the Walt Disney Co. Disney struck a deal to buy most of its entertainment properties , including its stake in Sky. That deal awaits approval of U.S. regulators. 21st Century Fox said in a brief statement that it was committed to its initial offer and wasComcast's $31 Billion Bid For U.K.-Based Sky Complicates Murdoch Planshttp://kasu.org/post/comcasts-31-billion-bid-uk-based-sky-complicates-murdoch-plans
101072 as http://kasu.orgWed, 25 Apr 2018 19:01:00 +0000Comcast's $31 Billion Bid For U.K.-Based Sky Complicates Murdoch PlansDavid FolkenflikUpdated at 1:12 p.m. ET Organizers of a newsroom union at the Chicago Tribune have informed its publisher that colleagues have given such overwhelming formal support for their effort that the paper's parent company should recognize the guild voluntarily and start to negotiate a contract. The organizers gave the Tribune 's parent company, Tronc, a day to make a decision. According to a letter from the Chicago Tribune Guild organizing committee obtained by NPR, the nascent union has received signed union authorization cards from more than 85 percent of staffers who would fall under the bargaining unit. "Voluntary recognition would allow us to begin contract negotiations, saving the company the cost and inconvenience of a campaign and an election that will result overwhelmingly in our favor," read the letter , sent Tuesday morning to Bruce Dold, the Tribune 's editor and publisher. This story will be updated with any reaction from the Tribune and Tronc. It is quite a turnaround inNewsroom To 'Chicago Tribune': With 85 Percent Backing, We Have Votes For Unionhttp://kasu.org/post/newsroom-chicago-tribune-85-percent-backing-we-have-votes-union
101026 as http://kasu.orgTue, 24 Apr 2018 15:44:00 +0000Newsroom To 'Chicago Tribune': With 85 Percent Backing, We Have Votes For UnionDavid FolkenflikOne of the nation's oldest and most prestigious regional newspapers, The Chicago Tribune, could soon have a unionized staff. On Wednesday morning, journalists from its newsroom informed management that they are preparing to organize and that they have collected signatures from dozens of colleagues. This is a historic move at a paper that, for decades, had taken a hard-line stance against unions. The move is unlikely to go over well with corporate owner Tronc. Two months ago, the newspaper publishing company struck a deal to sell another venerable daily, the Los Angeles Times, weeks after the paper's journalists succeeded in unionizing its newsroom. Journalists at the Tribune say the move will help them secure better pay and ensure they can fulfill the paper's mission. "For a long time, we didn't think we needed it," said Charlie J. Johnson, a Tribune home page editor who has been helping to lead the union drive. "The pay and the prestige was more than people working in union shops.In Historic Move At Labor-Skeptic 'Chicago Tribune,' Newsroom Pushes To Form Unionhttp://kasu.org/post/historic-move-labor-skeptic-chicago-tribune-newsroom-pushes-form-union
100527 as http://kasu.orgWed, 11 Apr 2018 13:45:00 +0000In Historic Move At Labor-Skeptic 'Chicago Tribune,' Newsroom Pushes To Form UnionDavid FolkenflikAs Franklin Delano Roosevelt was to radio with his reassuring "fireside chats" during the Great Depression, as John F. Kennedy was to television with addresses to the nation in moments of crisis, so too is Donald Trump a master of his mass medium of choice. Trump proves his mastery of it daily. Sometimes hourly. "There's really no way to understand the administration except through the president's Twitter account," says Jameel Jaffer, director of the Knight First Amendment Center at Columbia University Law School. The entertainment value would appear to dominate. Trump's tweets delight those supporters who say they find him honest, funny and refreshing. By the same token, his tweets distract and dismay his detractors, alienate many of his allies and misdirect much of the media. Yet as a substantive matter, these staccato statements cannot be ignored. They serve up invaluable insight into the workings of the president's mind, a rich resource for historians and one that journalists mineAnalysis: In Trump's Twitter Feed, A Tale Of Sound And Fury http://kasu.org/post/analysis-trumps-twitter-feed-tale-sound-and-fury
100363 as http://kasu.orgSat, 07 Apr 2018 11:01:00 +0000Analysis: In Trump's Twitter Feed, A Tale Of Sound And Fury David FolkenflikCopyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST: All this week NPR has been presenting stories about the nature of free speech in the digital age. Today we turn our attention to President Trump. If you only had one way to learn about the Trump presidency, which would you choose? Would you watch cable news, scan the newspapers, wait for Ken Burns to weigh in with a documentary - setting aside your obvious first choice of listening to NPR. Well, NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik argues there is no better way to understand the Trump era right now than to scroll through the president's Twitter feed. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT: I want to talk for a few minutes with the people of the United States about banking. DAVID FOLKENFLIK, BYLINE: As FDR was to radio in his fireside chats JFK was to television, here talking to the nation about civil rights. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) JOHN F KENNEDY: We are confronted primarily with a moralHow The President's Twitter Can Be A Tool To Understand The Trump Administrationhttp://kasu.org/post/how-presidents-twitter-can-be-tool-understand-trump-administration
100354 as http://kasu.orgFri, 06 Apr 2018 21:41:00 +0000How The President's Twitter Can Be A Tool To Understand The Trump AdministrationDavid FolkenflikCopyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST: Last month, local TV news anchors across the country turned to face the camera and share what appeared to be their personal concerns about journalism. They all had the same concerns. (SOUNDBITE OF MONTAGE) UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #1: The sharing of bias and false news has become all too common on social media. UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #2: On social media. And more alarming, some media outlets publish these same fake... UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #3: Publish these same fake stories without checking facts first. UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #4: Unfortunately, some members of the media use their... UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #5: Use their platforms to push their own personal bias and agenda to control... UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #5 AND UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #6: To control exactly what people think. UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #7: And this is extremely dangerous to our democracy. UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #5: This is extremely dangerous to our democracy.Sinclair Broadcast Group Forces Nearly 200 Station Anchors To Read Same Scripthttp://kasu.org/post/sinclair-broadcast-group-forces-nearly-200-station-anchors-read-same-script
100164 as http://kasu.orgMon, 02 Apr 2018 20:29:00 +0000Sinclair Broadcast Group Forces Nearly 200 Station Anchors To Read Same ScriptDavid FolkenflikThe murder of Democratic National Committee staffer Seth Rich in the summer of 2016 remains unsolved, still under investigation by police in Washington, D.C. It is the inspiration for round after round of baseless speculation about the cause of his death, linking it to the leak of thousands of Democratic Party emails that year. And those theories are generating yet another lawsuit. This week, Aaron Rich, Seth Rich's brother, sued Dallas financial adviser Ed Butowsky, a pivotal figure in early coverage of the case, along with a conservative conspiracy theorist and the The Washington Times . The suit alleges that the trio promoted groundless accusations about Aaron Rich's involvement in the leaks of those emails to Wikileaks. There is no publicly known factual basis for making those accusations. U.S. intelligence and national security officials under both the Obama and Trump administrations concluded that hackers acting at the behest of the Russian government had illegally hacked theSeth Rich's Brother Files Lawsuit Alleging Baseless Claims On DNC Hackhttp://kasu.org/post/seth-richs-brother-files-lawsuit-alleging-baseless-claims-dnc-hack
100073 as http://kasu.orgFri, 30 Mar 2018 17:19:00 +0000Seth Rich's Brother Files Lawsuit Alleging Baseless Claims On DNC HackDavid FolkenflikOpening Arguments Begin In AT&T And Time Warner Merger Casehttp://kasu.org/post/opening-arguments-begin-att-and-time-warner-merger-case
99650 as http://kasu.orgWed, 21 Mar 2018 09:11:00 +0000David FolkenflikCopyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit DAVID GREENE, HOST: Newspapers around the country have been undergoing layoffs in recent days. And yesterday, it was the Chicago Tribune's turn. Though the numbers of layoffs were not enormous, anxieties are high at that paper's parent company, Tronc. The company also owns the New York Daily News, The Baltimore Sun and other respected big dailies in the country. I want to bring in NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik. Hey, David. DAVID FOLKENFLIK, BYLINE: Hey, David. GREENE: So what is going on here? What is Tronc up to with these layoffs? FOLKENFLIK: Well, there's a couple of things going on. First is there's kind of consolidation of, shall we say, non-reporting jobs happening where a lot of design, layout and other kinds of more technical jobs are being assigned centrally to Chicago. People are being told they may get to apply for them. This is happening around the chain. The second thing is a strategy called gravitas with scale. The idea isLayoffs Hit 'Chicago Tribune' Newsroomhttp://kasu.org/post/layoffs-hit-chicago-tribune-newsroom
99457 as http://kasu.orgFri, 16 Mar 2018 09:24:00 +0000Layoffs Hit 'Chicago Tribune' NewsroomDavid FolkenflikThe parents of slain Democratic National Committee staffer Seth Rich have filed a lawsuit against the Fox News Channel for coverage linking their son to the leak of thousands of party emails to WikiLeaks during the 2016 campaign. The lawsuit also names Fox reporters Malia Zimmerman and a periodic Fox commentator. The May 2017 story echoed and propelled conspiracy theories about Rich's death and the DNC leaks, strongly suggesting his killing might have been related. U.S. intelligence officials under Presidents Obama and Trump say that people acting at the direction of the Russian government hacked into the DNC's servers. Fox News retracted the story a week later after widespread outrage, but the network never apologized for the story or explained what went wrong . In their federal suit , filed Tuesday in the Southern District of New York, the Riches allege that they have been "collateral damage in a political war" and say their son's death was exploited for political benefit. ASeth Rich's Parents Sue Fox News Over Baseless Storyhttp://kasu.org/post/seth-richs-parents-sue-fox-news-over-baseless-story
99374 as http://kasu.orgWed, 14 Mar 2018 21:06:00 +0000Seth Rich's Parents Sue Fox News Over Baseless StoryDavid FolkenflikEditor's note: This story contains language that some readers may find offensive. One of the nation's most important newspaper companies is attempting to shed months of labor strife, leadership crises and financial challenges through profound transformation. That extreme makeover started this week at the Chicago Tribune . It is to radiate out to the company's other major regional dailies. To sketch out its larger vision, the company, called Tronc, has placed its bets on its chief digital executive, Ross Levinsohn. He is perhaps best-known as a consummate salesman. He is an executive and investor with a mixed record defined in part by glamour and controversy. Journalists at the Los Angeles Times, Tronc's largest property, have questioned whether the company's executives are making decisions in their own interest rather than the best interest of the paper's journalism or the company's shareholders. In a previous job, Levinsohn successfully urged his corporate employers to acquire aStartups, Deals, Parties And Pals: Will News Exec Levinsohn Repeat The Past?http://kasu.org/post/startups-deals-parties-and-pals-will-news-exec-levinsohn-repeat-past
99177 as http://kasu.orgFri, 09 Mar 2018 20:39:00 +0000Startups, Deals, Parties And Pals: Will News Exec Levinsohn Repeat The Past?David FolkenflikCopyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit AILSA CHANG, HOST: The Comcast company, which is the nation's largest cable TV and broadband provider, is offering $31 billion to buy the British-based satellite TV company Sky. The offer is another reflection of deep anxieties in Hollywood about the threat posed by streaming services such as Netflix. And it's throwing the plans of other big media giants into disarray. NPR's David Folkenflik joins us now to talk about this latest bid on Sky. Hey, David. DAVID FOLKENFLIK, BYLINE: Hey, Ailsa. CHANG: So help me understand the players here. You and I were just talking about Sky last month. Am I getting this right? We now have three global media companies competing for ownership of Sky. FOLKENFLIK: Well, think of it this way. There was one deal seemingly aligned to set them up like a series of nesting dolls. You know, Sky, which is this major European broadcaster and broadband provider - huge foothold in the U.K., Ireland, Germany, Austria, Italy. AndComcast Makes $31 Billion Bid For European Broadcaster Skyhttp://kasu.org/post/comcast-makes-31-billion-bid-european-broadcaster-sky
98756 as http://kasu.orgTue, 27 Feb 2018 21:04:00 +0000Comcast Makes $31 Billion Bid For European Broadcaster SkyDavid FolkenflikCopyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: Now we have news about NPR News. This organization's corporate board released a report from an outside law firm. It says the network failed to head off alleged misconduct by former chief news executive Michael Oreskes. The report says people raised concerns even before he was hired. NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik says the findings go beyond Oreskes to NPR's culture. DAVID FOLKENFLIK, BYLINE: Wonya Lucas is the president and CEO of Public Broadcasting Atlanta. She's also an NPR corporate director, heading up the board's special committee overseeing NPR's response to the scandal. Lucas says she was struck by findings that NPR employees perceive its culture favors men. WONYA LUCAS: That was very disturbing on many levels, I must say. And having attended a staff meeting and hearing many people describe the culture as they see it and live it, it was sobering. FOLKENFLIK: Lucas says changing NPR's culture is hard but vitalAfter Harassment Report, NPR Is Intent On Instilling Trust In Managementhttp://kasu.org/post/after-harassment-report-npr-intent-instilling-trust-management
98466 as http://kasu.orgWed, 21 Feb 2018 10:06:00 +0000After Harassment Report, NPR Is Intent On Instilling Trust In ManagementDavid FolkenflikAn outside legal review of NPR's handling of allegations against its former top news executive, Michael Oreskes, found that questions were raised about his behavior toward women even before he was hired. And concerns about misconduct were reportedly flagged throughout Oreskes' 2 1/2-year tenure at the network right up to the day he was fired. Repeated warnings from the network's top leadership about Oreskes' inappropriate conduct and expenditures proved ineffective, the review by the law firm Morgan Lewis noted . "Attempts to curtail Mr. Oreskes' conduct and attention to women were not successful," the report stated. "While management made multiple attempts to counsel Mr. Oreskes about his conduct, he was not deterred from pursuing conversations and dinner meetings with women inside and outside of NPR that were inappropriate and served a nonbusiness purpose." Oreskes was forced to resign on Nov. 1. In an interview on Tuesday, NPR Board Chairman Paul Haaga compared the process ofReport Detailing Harassment At NPR Cites 'High Level Of Distrust' Of Managementhttp://kasu.org/post/report-detailing-harassment-npr-cites-high-level-distrust-management
98457 as http://kasu.orgTue, 20 Feb 2018 22:53:00 +0000Report Detailing Harassment At NPR Cites 'High Level Of Distrust' Of Management